America's Most Thrilling Roads: Smuggler's Notch, Vermont

Technically, the trip we recommend here is more than just the Notch. It begins in the town of Jericho, Vermont, and heads northeast on Vermont Route 15 before turning south on Vermont 108 and shooting through Smuggler's Notch into scenic Stowe. This roughly 38-mile run will take you only about 45 minutes one-way, but it is one hell of a 45 minutes, full of sweeping turns, steep inclines, crazy switchbacks, and tight s-curves. This is rough country driving: There is a two-mile pass on Route 108 where the road is so narrow that only one car can get through at a time, and rock faces on either side of the roadway leave little room for mistakes like missing a gearshift or veering over the yellow line. And this road isn't just a hoot to drive, it's also one of Vermont's most picturesque drives. Lush forests punctuated by bold rock outcroppings flow over mountains that slope toward quaint towns and old-fashioned gas stations where attendants are quick to offer driver advice and warnings.